Relationships Between Siblings (3-6 years old)

Children's relationships with their siblings are an important part of their everyday lives. This experience may be altered in significant ways when children grow up with a disabled or adopted sibling. Sibling relationships are not static and keep on changing as children move through different developmental periods. Share these books with your children to help them understand more about sibling relationships.

The House of Joyful LivingAuthor: Roni SchotterPublisher: New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, c2008Call No.: JP SCHSummary: A young girl loves her busy, crowded apartment building. Neighbours enjoy spending time together in the roof garden to share food, music, and friendly conversation. She feels like she is on top of the world until Mama's belly grows. She becomes very jealous when the new baby her mother is expecting takes the attention away from her.

What's Wrong with Timmy?Author: Maria ShriverPublisher: Boston Mass.: Warner Books; Little, Brown, and Co., c2001Call No.: JP SHRSummary: In the park, eight-year-old Kate meets Timmy, a 'mentally retarded' son of her mother's friend. Kate asks her mother about the boy and learns that Timmy is her age and was born with disabilities. It is through making friends with Timmy that Kate learns that the two of them have a lot in common.

Waiting for MayAuthor: Janet Morgan StoekePublisher: New York: Dutton Children's Books, c2005Call No.: JP STOSummary: A loving older brother shows his anticipation and impatience as he yearns for his new adopted sister from China to join his family. He is dismayed when his new sister clings to her new caregiver and cries continuously. Eventually the new brother manages to distract her with his turtle button and she calms down into a hug with him.

Barfburger Baby, I was Here First!Author: Paula DanzigerPublisher: New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, c2004Call No.: JP DANSummary: Five-year-old Jonathon is not pleased when neighbours and relatives come to visit his new baby brother. He does not understand what the fuss is about and starts building a wall of blocks to separate himself from his new sibling. However his perceptions change when his older cousin shows Jonathan the privileges of being the eldest.

Author: Michelle Medlock AdamsPublisher: Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zonderkidz, 2007Call No.: JP ADASummary: Imagine the joy of selling off an annoying younger sibling! No more fighting biting of tattling. A boy complains to God, asking for help in writing an advertisement to sell his younger sister. But then, who will he play with after his sister is gone? He finally decides to try harder in getting along with her.

When the New Baby Comes, I'm Moving OutAuthor: Martha G. AlexanderPublisher: Watertown, Mass.: Charlesbridge, c1979Call No.: JP ALESummary: Oliver is going to be a big brother and he does not like it one bit. When his mother gives his high chair and crib to the new baby, he feels like throwing his mum in the garbage can and running away, to live on his own in his tree house. But Oliver changes his mind when his mother reminds him that big brothers get to do lots of special things.

Nobody Asked Me If I Wanted a Baby SisterAuthor: Martha G. AlexanderPublisher: Watertown, MA: Charlesbridge, c2006Call No.: JP ALESummary: Resenting the attention and praise being lavished on his new baby sister, Oliver tries to give her away to several people in the neighbourhood. But no matter how hard hard Oliver tries, nobody seems to want his baby sister. His resentment towards her diminishes when his mom takes her away and she begins to cry endlessly for him.

SupersisterAuthor: Beth CadenaPublisher: New York, N.Y.: Clarion Books, c2009Call No.: JP CADSummary: A young girl does all kinds of things around the house to help her pregnant mother. She is very proud that that she is going to be a super sister when the baby arrives.

Babies Don't Eat Pizza: a big kids' book about baby brothers and baby sistersAuthor: Dianne DanzigPublisher: New York: Dutton Children's Books, c2009Call No.: JP 649 DANSummary: Becoming an older brother and sister is a life-changing event and it is definitely not easy. So if you are looking for a comprehensive book to answer the many questions that older children may have when the little one is here, this is the one book that you must have.

Written and formatted in an easy-to-read style and targeted at very young children, parents will be amazed at how simple it is to explain certain issues from the beginning of babies growing in a mother’s womb to emotional matters such as the sense of jealousy and insecurity that the older siblings may feel over the little one. You do not have to scratch your heads or go through the anxiety of phrasing it gently to your child, simply refer to the book. That’s a lifesaver especially when you can be faced with emotional and physically draining issues such as sibling rivalry and adjustments needed with coping with two or more children in your family now.

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